The Raquette Lake Fire Department was organized in November of 1947. The first fire engine was built by “Bing” Aldous from used and/or donated parts. The fire truck was stored in Bing’s garage. A fire house was built around 1950 with land donated by Laurine and Bert Gardner. Materials were gathered from donations, and volunteers donated their time to build the old fire house on its present location on Rt. 28
Currently, the Raquette Lake Fire Department is made up of 55 Members, two fire trucks, a rescue truck, a fire boat, a rescue snowmobile, and an ambulance. The department provides fire protection, including emergency medical service calls, fire calls, hazardous condition calls, technical rescue calls, and other calls such as assisting the public or false alarms. Be it on shore, on the lake, across the lake, in the woods, or on a mountain, the RLFD is available for any and all emergencies. Over the past years they have responded to medical/trauma emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, boating accidents, water & ice rescues, search & rescues, as well as the more common structure, chimney, car and forest fires. We are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Raquette Lake Ambulance Squad is a part of the all-volunteer Raquette Lake Fire Department. Its 76-mile ambulance transport to Utica is the longest in NY State. The fire department and ambulance squad participate in mutual aid and 911 Dispatch by Herkimer County. We would not be able to do the job without mutual aid from crews along our hospital route. Advanced life support providers from Inlet, Old Forge and Woodgate regularly hop on our “rig” to assist. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the EMS squads in our neighboring communities.
Supported by the RLFD Ladies Auxiliary (organized in 1953), our Ladies Auxiliary holds numerous fund-raising functions to support the ongoing maintenance on the fire house, apparatus, and equipment. Some of these fundraisers include the Strawberry Festival, Pancake Breakfast, Hunter’s Dinner and Spaghetti and Meatball Dinner. The Ladies Auxiliary currently has 20 members. The Big Auction is one of the events that pulls in hundreds of supporters. This year’s auction raised $32,800.
The Raquette Lake Fire Department is pleased to announce the celebration of its newly built Raquette Lake Fire Station. This significant milestone is the culmination of nine years of unwavering community effort and support, reflecting the dedication and spirit of our close-knit community.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, please join us on
- Saturday, October 12th
- 11:30 to 4 PM
The event will include an opening ceremony, followed by a reception featuring food, drinks and guided tours of the new facility.